The twenty-first century will see unparalleled advances in the biological sciences. Disciplines such as biology and biomedical engineering are burgeoning and will greatly impact the way we live in the future. The areas of functional genomics and proteomics will drive discoveries in molecular medicine, gene therapy and tissue engineering. Drug discovery will be facilitated by the elucidation of new target molecules and many pharmaceutical compounds will be produced using biological processes. Environmental management, remediation and restoration will also benefit from advances in biology. Biologists will be at the forefront of these advances and will drive the medical, agricultural, environmental and industrial applications of biological sciences.

The biology program will produce biologists with the chemistry, mathematics, and physics background needed to solve biotechnological problems in the coming decades. Those students wishing to strengthen their engineering skills can earn the area minor in biomedical engineering. Other students may choose to pursue a second major in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The program will prepare graduates for professional careers in government and industrial research laboratories, and in the biotechnology and health-related industries.

Those wishing to continue their studies in graduate or health professions programs will be exceptionally well qualified to do so.

BIOLOGY PLAN OF STUDY

Freshman Year

Fall Term

Credit

BIO 110

Cell Structure and Function

4

CHEM 111

General Chemistry

4

MA 111

Calculus I

5

CLSK 100

College & Life Skills

1

Total

14

Winter Term

Credit

BIO 120

Comparative Anatomy & Physiology

4

CHEM 113

General Chemistry II

4

MA 112

Calculus II

5

BE 100

Problem Solving in the Biological Sciences and Engineering

4

Total

17

Spring Term

Credit

BIO 130

Evolution and Diversity

4

CHEM 115

General Chemistry III

4

MA 113

Calculus III

5

RH 131

Rhetoric & Composition

4

Total

17

Sophomore Year

Fall Term

Credit

BIO 210

Mendelian & Molecular Genetics

4

CHEM 251

Organic Chemistry I

3

CHEM 251L

Organic Chemistry I Laboratory

1

PH 111

Physics I

4

MA 212

Matrix Algebra and Systems of Differential Equations

4

Total

16

Winter Term

Credit

BIO 220

Prokaryotic Cell & Molecular Biology

4

CHEM 252

Organic Chemistry II

3

CHEM 252L

Organic Chemistry II Lab

1

PH 112

Physics II

4

RH 330

Technical and Professional Communication

4

Total

16

Spring Term

Credit

BIO 230

Eukaryotic Cell & Molecular Biology

4

CHEM 253

Organic Chemistry III

3

CHEM 253L

Organic Chemistry III Lab

1

PH 113

Physics III

4

MA 223

Engineering Statistics

4

Total

16

Junior Year

Fall Term

Credit

BIO 320

Ecology

4

CHEM 330

Biochemisty

4

HSS

Elective

4

BIO 399

Practice of Science

4

Total

16

Winter Term

Credit

BIO 330

Evolutionary Biology

4

BIO 496

Senior Thesis Research I

2

BIO

Elective

4

HSS

Elective

4

Total

14

Spring Term

Credit

BIO 310

Plant Structure & Function

4

BIO 497

Senior Thesis Research II

4

SV 304

Bioethics

4

HSS

Elective

4

Total

16

Senior Year

Fall Term

Credit

BIO 498

Senior Thesis Research III

4

Science/Technical Elective

4

HSS

Elective

4

Free Elective

4

Total

16

Winter Term

Credit

BIO 499

Senior Thesis Research IV

2

Science/Technical Elective

4

BIO

Elective

4

HSS

Elective

4

Total

14

Spring Term

Credit

BIO

Elective

4

Science/Technical Elective

4

HSS

Elective

4

Free Elective

4

Total

16

Total credits required:

188

A BIO science/technical elective is any Rose-Hulman course that has a prefix of BIO, BE, CHEM, CHE, CE, CSSE, ECE, GEOL, MA, ME, PH, OE, EP, ES, EM or any EMGT course that is not cross-listed with an RH, GS, IA or SV course. Courses that do not count as science or technical electives are those courses with AS, MS, RH, GS, IA, SV, GE, JP, SP, FL, GRAD and CLSK prefixes.

SUMMARY

Required BIO courses

52 credits

BIO electives

12 credits

Free electives

8 credits

HSS electives

24 credits

Required HSS

12 credits

Required MA, CHEM, PH

63 credits

Required CLSK

1 credit

Sci/Tech electives

12 credits

Required BE course

4 credits

Total

188 credits

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (Second Major Only)

The biochemistry & molecular biology program exists to give students an opportunity to augment their education in this technologically-important field. To support this effort, Rose-Hulman provides students with access to a modern and well-equipped biochemistry lab, along with an excellent biological sciences facility. Two faculty are directly involved with this program: Dr. Mark Brandt, assistant professor of chemistry, is the program coordinator and is a biochemist, and Dr. Richard Anthony, associate professor of biology, is a molecular biologist. Many other faculty in both the chemistry and biology departments assist with this curriculum.

Biochemistry & molecular biology is available to Rose-Hulman students as a second major. This means that the student will receive a first degree in some other discipline and then can augment their education with this program. Students whose first degree programs are in chemistry or chemical engineering will find the program easiest since there is considerable overlap between those programs and the biochemistry & molecular biology requirements. Students from other disciplines are also encouraged to participate, but will have to take more courses. All students are encouraged to take individual courses in the program, regardless of whether or not they wish to fulfill the second major requirements, or to participate in related research projects under faculty supervision.

Two degree or double major programs in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Biochemistry are not allowed.

Required Courses

Course

Description

Hours

CHEM 111, 113, 115

General Chemistry

12

CHEM 251, 252, 253

Organic Chemistry

9

CHEM 251L, 252L, 253L

Organic Chemistry Lab

3

CHEM 330, 430, 433

Biochemistry

9

CHEM 361, 362orCHEM 360and

CHE 303, 304

Physical Chemistry

8

BIO 110, 120, 130

Biology

12

BIO 210

Genetics

4

BIO 220, 230

Molecular Biology

8

BIO 411

Genetic Engineering

4

Total

69

Elective Courses

Choose 12 credits* from the following courses:

Course

Description

BIO 330

Evolitionary Biology

BIO 421

Microbiology

BIO 431

Genomics and Proteomics

BIO 441

Virology

BIO 451

Cancer Biology

BIO 492

Directed Study in Biology

CHEM 225

Analytical Chemistry

CHEM 291

Introduction to Research

CHEM 331

Biochemistry II

CHEM 431

Biochemical Instrumentation

CHEM 451

Organic Structure Determination

CHEM 290 or

CHEM 490

Chemical Research

PH 302

Biophysics

Total Credits for Second Major 81

*Students with a major in chemistry need to take 8 credits of electives, with 4 credits from the BIO electives listed, and 4 credits chosen from any BIO or BE course.

STUDENTS WITH A MAJOR IN BIOLOGY must take 12 credits of electives, with 8 credits from the elective courses listed above with a CHEM prefix, and 4 credits from any 300 level or above BIO course (total: 29 hours required beyond Biology major).

Biology Area Minor

The Area Minor in Biology is designed to allow students to enrich studies in their major area. Students wishing to apply another science, mathematics, or engineering discipline to investigate or solve problems in biological systems are encouraged to pursue the Area Minor in Biology. With proper course selection, the Area Minor will provide another marketable dimension to any Bachelor of Science degree granted by the Institute.

The Area Minor in Biology has the following requirements.

All students must complete BIO110 (Cell Structure and Function) or BIO130 (Evolution and Diversity) and at least four more courses in biology (BIO) or allied areas, above those courses already specifically required to fulfill the student's major. a. At least three of the four electives must be BIO courses. b. At least three of the electives must be 200-level or above. Additional courses not listed in the approved allied areas can be considered on a case-by-case basis. See BBE Department Head.

Students electing to pursue the Area Minor in Biology must follow a plan of study that is approved by the Area Minor Advisor. Current advisor information and a form for the planning and approval of an area minor can be obtained from the BBE Department secretary.

Completion of BIO110, CHEM111, CHEM113 and CHEM115. In addition, the student must complete five courses from the following list that are not already named required courses by the student's major or minor programs: